1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of stabilizing hydrogen peroxide solutions using strong acid ion exchange resins and acetonitrile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known that small concentrations of transition metal ions such as those of iron, copper, nickel, lead, chromium or manganese in a hydrogen peroxide solution cause the hydrogen peroxide to decompose. This can be quite troublesome in the manufacture and storage of hydrogen peroxide. The materials of construction used in commercial hydrogen peroxide units make it virtually impossible to exclude all traces of transition metal ions from the process streams and the product hydrogen peroxide solutions. Methods of slowing down or stopping the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of transition metal ions would be quite useful industrially.
Several methods have been proposed for stabilizing hydrogen peroxide solutions. U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,923 issued Apr. 27, 1954 to Young disclosed the use of acid ion exchange resins to remove heavy metal impurities thereby slowing down decomposition and providing a stabilized solution. Young used fixed beds of ion exchange resins through which the hydrogen peroxide solution were passed in order to remove the metal ions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,782 issued Jan. 22, 1963 to Meeker et al also disclosed the use of ion exchange resins to purify hydrogen peroxide streams.
Applicant in copending application Ser. No. 847,273, filed Oct. 31, 1977, has disclosed the use of acetonitrile to stabilize hydrogen peroxide solutions. It has been found that when a strong acid ion exchange resin and acetonitrile are combined and used to stabilize hydrogen peroxide solutions, an improvement greater than merely additive is found, the two combined provide a synergistic stabilization effect.